The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for matching protocols in a communication system. More specifically, the invention relates to apparatus and methods for managing a plurality of different communications protocols in a single network to facilitate communication between different communication equipment.
Packet switched networks are increasingly more commonly used to establish voice connections and data communications. Once a connection over a packet network is established, signals are sent over the network in packets which can conform to established communication packet protocols, including CAS, SIP, H323, TSMU, ISDN and the like. Some communication equipment utilizes proprietary protocols such as QSMU, TSMU or EandM. To transmit voice over a packet network, the voice signal may be compressed and placed into data packets. These packets are transmitted over a packet network, received at the other end, decompressed and passed on as voice information.
There exists a wide variety of equipment which can be used for communications over a network. Networks, and Voice over IP, can be configured in an increasing varied manner and often include differing equipment at the originating and receiving ends of a communication link, as well as at the intermediate switches or nodes. In a telecommunications link, at least one switch will exist between each end of a connection link. It is common for a number of switches or nodes to be present between the originating and receiving ends of a communication link. Because many different types of switches and many varying protocols are available for use in a communications network, it is common for the originating, receiving and switching equipment to be configured for different communication protocols.
Prior to the present invention, each piece of equipment involved in a communications link had to communicate utilizing a protocol or one of a group of compatible protocols which support the least common denominator of features used in the link. In some circumstances communications would be established under less than optimal conditions to avoid protocol feature incompatibility.
The present invention provides a mechanism for interworking between different protocols. It also provides a mechanism to exchange and negotiate the capabilities of each protocol in a communications link. The protocol switching unit (PSU) of the present invention allows negotiation of extensions to the capabilities, including extensions to the base protocol. This helps achieve a highest set of capabilities supported by each protocol involved in the cell. The protocol switching unit facilitates negotiation of protocols between equipment on either side of the PSU. In order to facilitate negotiation, the PSU provides a common format protocol which is a negotiation framework, as a facility and can indicate a timing sequence.
A communication component interworking facility, of the present invention includes a protocol switching unit, required communication parameters, desired communication parameters and capable communication parameters corresponding to a first communication equipment device and desired communication parameters and capable communication parameters corresponding to a second communication equipment device, and a communication protocol established from convergence of said communication parameters.